I am getting my first fish tank

[Turbocks]

I am an 18 year old boy diagnosed with aspergers since a young age.

I have some big special interests mainly computers and technology in general which is why I am highly skilled with computers having 9+ years of experience since childhood.

When I am not doing computer and technology related things I am mostly interested in nature and biology mainly parrots and now more recently the fish hobby.

I have been researching for over a month what I need to know about keeping fish and it's mostly all I have been talking about when around my family.

I will keep 10 cardinal tetras in a tank
of 115 liters with tons of floating plants at the top and I will have oak wood and oak leaves at the bottom for tannins because this will be a blackwater setup mimicking the natural habitat of these fish.

The reason I keep only 10 of them is to make the tank as low maintenance as possible and if I keep good low flowrate filtration it should be easy.

My only concern is that the leaves will cause me to have to do water changes more often and if that really is the case
I will have to skip that and the reason I want to use them is because leaves on the bottom are a common sight in south american blackwater rivers.

What do you think about this one and what are some ways I can improve on it and the health of the fish?

 

[Rasputin]

I am an 18 year old boy diagnosed with aspergers since a young age.

I have some big special interests mainly computers and technology in general which is why I am highly skilled with computers having 9+ years of experience since childhood.

When I am not doing computer and technology related things I am mostly interested in nature and biology mainly parrots and now more recently the fish hobby.

I have been researching for over a month what I need to know about keeping fish and it's mostly all I have been talking about when around my family.

I will keep 10 cardinal tetras in a tank
of 115 liters with tons of floating plants at the top and I will have oak wood and oak leaves at the bottom for tannins because this will be a blackwater setup mimicking the natural habitat of these fish.

The reason I keep only 10 of them is to make the tank as low maintenance as possible and if I keep good low flowrate filtration it should be easy.

My only concern is that the leaves will cause me to have to do water changes more often and if that really is the case
I will have to skip that and the reason I want to use them is because leaves on the bottom are a common sight in south american blackwater rivers.

What do you think about this one and what are some ways I can improve on it and the health of the fish?

Welcome to this forum, and Merry Christmas!

I am not able to comment constructively on your plans for an aquarium, but I think what you are doing is very cool! You might need to talk to someone who is an expert on aquariums and South American fish. Maybe contact a university which has a Marine Biology department?

Anyway, good luck with the aquarium. I have only been a member two months, but have found the people here to be friendly and helpful.

 

[LucyPurrs]

Welcome to this forum Turbocks! It's a good place to be. I have a 30 gallon aquarium and have about 10 neon tetras (couldn't find cardinals) which have been thriving since I got them. Don't have the natural environment you speak of but think that's cool and hope you succeed. The main thing I found when setting up my tank is that the biological filter took way longer to get going than I realized - almost 2 months. So suggest you get that going first if possible by keeping the numbers of your fish very low until it kicks in. I have 2 striated loaches for bottom feeders, a blue ram and 2 small honey gouramis with the neons. The tank now has zero ammonia, zero nitrates and zero nitrates when tested and I haven't done any water changes for about 4 weeks or so. So that tells me the biological filter is working well. I did lose some fish when I first set the tank up because the ammonia levels were sky high. So go very slow for first month or two. Good luck and keep us posted on how it's doing!

 

[Nitro]

While I'm no means an expert, I have been a fish keeper for nearly a decade.

115 liters sounds big enough, any tank below 40 liters is considered a fish killer because the biosphere is too difficult to keep balanced.

The rule of thumb here is that bigger is always better, for both tanks and filters.

Typically, the neon tetras are over-bred and have weak immune systems as a result of it.
I can't speak for your chosen breed.

Establishing the beneficial bacteria levels can be tricky at first, but will level out after time passes by.
Higher ammonia concentrations are generally caused by not enough water changes and poor maintenance.
I strongly recommend using larger filter systems than what is recommended to reduce the changes.

You may lose a few new fish due to shock from moving them from where you bought them to their new home, but that usually happens in a few days.
Another recommendation is to quarantine any new fish you wish to introduce to your existing ones in another tank for at least one month.
You can start a quarantine rig by using both change water and furniture out of an existing rig that you add to some treated water.

I can't speak for the tannin stuff, but in the future, I will be replacing my gravel in all three of my rigs with pool filter sand to ease the cleaning.

I'm supposed to inherit some glowfish in the near future, and a piranha.


Good luck with your rig and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Sarah S]

Been having tanks since i was VERY young and thru out my life all Sp fresh & Sallt all sizes

First Cardinal tetras is more sturdy then neon so thats a good choice. You might if you just gonna keep Tetras whant to add another 10 as they are school fish and if you have a bigger school they will find them self more calm

Second i wouldent go in on Black water as youre first tank as it require more care and more Knowledge and usely bigger tanks . Skipp the leaves as they will molt and you risk poluting the water quikly. you still get the mercy water from the Oak trees

Youre right and wrong in the flowing in youre tank Yes you nedd a good filter made for utliest (prefably more) the tank size youre having

Loose the floating plants as you will block out the light from coming down on the fishes and the plants you have in the tank

Get a few bottom cleaners to help keep the bottom Clean those should be on the first fishes you buy as they are the cleaning crew in youre tank

And above all DONT buy the tank and fishes all in the same day. FIST buy and get the tank . set it all up (incl filter and all else) let it run for utliest a week prefably closer to 2 + weeks

THEN after first checking youre water with the diffent kitts and making shore its all good . Go get the fishes and when you get home let the bag float in the tank for say 15 Minutes 6 then gently open up the bag and gently start to let in the tanks water and then after a few minutes of this gently tipp the bag in the tank and let them get out. DONT feed them the first day

When you then have it up and running and fish in you will still need to change " roughly half " of the tank EVERY week

With this smaller tanks its harder to maintain the balance so you need to keep the maitnance up or youre water will quikly be polluted

And you also needed to check the requirement on PH etc... that this Sp of fish likes and needs (there are different testing kitts in the pet shop for this things )

What you will need id Knowledge (and youre way ahead on this so dont worry ) PATIENCE and this will go just fine

And i agree with Nitro here as well

Oh and DONT over feed (just as mush as you see the fishes eating up within the first minute ) and get the fish food made for smaller fishes

Feel free to Pm me if you have any questions

 

[Sarah S]

I can't speak for the tannin stuff, but in the future, I will be replacing my gravel in all three of my rigs with pool filter sand to ease the cleaning.

I'm supposed to inherit some glowfish in the near future, and a piranha.

If youre after easier maitnance DONT go with the sand Nitro as it will increase it rather then reducing it (ie you will have more job in sucking the bottom then if you have with the gravel (prefably not to big tho smaller is better )

The pirahna you need to have in a separate tank as it WILL eat the other fishes (and prefably also get a few more prefably same size when you have the new one at the same time ) as they are also a school fish & alone it will stand in corner and hide all the time and not being happy + im afraid when they grow up they need a BIG tank (and this both for the common pirahna as well as for the other Sp They get even bigger)

 

[Turbocks]

Been having tanks since i was VERY young and thru out my life all Sp fresh & Sallt all sizes

First Cardinal tetras is more sturdy then neon so thats a good choice. You might if you just gonna keep Tetras whant to add another 10 as they are school fish and if you have a bigger school they will find them self more calm

Second i wouldent go in on Black water as youre first tank as it require more care and more Knowledge and usely bigger tanks . Skipp the leaves as they will molt and you risk poluting the water quikly. you still get the mercy water from the Oak trees

Youre right and wrong in the flowing in youre tank Yes you nedd a good filter made for utliest (prefably more) the tank size youre having

Loose the floating plants as you will block out the light from coming down on the fishes and the plants you have in the tank

Get a few bottom cleaners to help keep the bottom Clean those should be on the first fishes you buy as they are the cleaning crew in youre tank

And above all DONT buy the tank and fishes all in the same day. FIST buy and get the tank . set it all up (incl filter and all else) let it run for utliest a week prefably closer to 2 + weeks

THEN after first checking youre water with the diffent kitts and making shore its all good . Go get the fishes and when you get home let the bag float in the tank for say 15 Minutes 6 then gently open up the bag and gently start to let in the tanks water and then after a few minutes of this gently tipp the bag in the tank and let them get out. DONT feed them the first day

When you then have it up and running and fish in you will still need to change " roughly half " of the tank EVERY week

With this smaller tanks its harder to maintain the balance so you need to keep the maitnance up or youre water will quikly be polluted

And you also needed to check the requirement on PH etc... that this Sp of fish likes and needs (there are different testing kitts in the pet shop for this things )

What you will need id Knowledge (and youre way ahead on this so dont worry ) PATIENCE and this will go just fine

And i agree with Nitro here as well

Oh and DONT over feed (just as mush as you see the fishes eating up within the first minute ) and get the fish food made for smaller fishes

Feel free to Pm me if you have any questions

I was originally going to keep a tank that can keep 150 to 160 liters of water but I found out the one being sold in my local fish store was too long so I might have to order a custom made tank which is something they do offer.

I forgot to mention that I am not planning to keep very many bottom plants if any at all for authenticity and the ones I might keep would be plants that can grow in low light such as swordplants.

In terms of bottom feeders I was thinking of using a banjo catfish and possibly other cat fish species but I am not sure what else to keep.

I was thinking of keeping cherry shrimp and possibly mystery snails if I can keep the ph around 6.5 to 7 but banjo catfish eat them so that is a problem.

This species of catfish tends to prefer low lighting enviroments so having floating plants would work but I am not sure what else to keep.

The cardinal tetras and this species of catfish tends to prefer a slightly acidic enviroment and softer water so oak wood should be enough because the leaves are for that authentic feeling and are optional I don't need them.

Hopefully I should have success in the long run.

 

[Sarah S]

="Turbocks, post: 664231, member: 22735"]I was originally going to keep a tank that can keep 150 to 160 liters of water but I found out the one being sold in my local fish store was too long so I might have to order a custom made tank which is something they do offer.

" i understand well. in id say go with as much water you can "

I forgot to mention that I am not planning to keep very many bottom plants if any at all for authenticity and the ones I might keep would be plants that can grow in low light such as swordplants.

Still even the swordplants will require more Sunlight (had them and they thrive in good light ) + the fishes also need some light and what i can guarntee is the topp floating plants will cover the surface in no time and you have to keep that after as well this is a very common problem with all the floating sp of plants offered fore tanks

In terms of bottom feeders I was thinking of using a banjo catfish and possibly other cat fish species but I am not sure what else to keep.

" In general id say may i suggest a different Sp that dont get to big and more of them instead like the sturdy and EXELENT cleaners Corydoras Sp and say 5 -10 of them in said Liters of water "

I was thinking of keeping cherry shrimp and possibly mystery snails if I can keep the ph around 6.5 to 7 but banjo catfish eat them so that is a problem.

yes all shrimps will sadly become lunch to bigger fishes (the Corydoras Sp as far as i experinced dont eat them, Mystery snails (over here they arent alowed to sell even any more ) But those are as far as i know good cleaners as well so no objektions

Heres a link reg the Cherry shrimps The Ultimate Guide to the Cherry Shrimp (Care, Grading, Breeding) | Fishkeeping World

This species of catfish tends to prefer low lighting enviroments so having floating plants would work but I am not sure what else to keep.

" Most catfiches are Nocturnal anyway so for them it dont matter to have to dim the light all they need is somewhere to seek shelter during the day and between the feedings depending on the size of the tank there is plenty of Interesting Sp avieble to youre Community tank ( a multible Sp all in one tank that can live together) "

The cardinal tetras and this species of catfish tends to prefer a slightly acidic enviroment and softer water so oak wood should be enough because the leaves are for that authentic feeling and are optional I don't need them.

" I agree and glad you understand why you should dropp the leaves"
Hopefully I should have success in the long run.

Im shore you will do great just continue as you have ask , learn ,study about how to keep this fishes happy and what they need and so on and as i said PATINCE

And last reg this dark water its very complicated and often is restricted to public aquarims as it is more difficult then plain fresh water . (i havent heard or met anyone that tried black water tank at home ) BUT if youre heart is set on this heres a link that might help you {title}

oh and reg the Discus fishes you see in this exelent article DONT they are HIGH maitnance VERY expencive and VERY sensitive and need minimum 250 + L water )50 l / fish ) "

 

[Nitro]

If youre after easier maitnance DONT go with the sand Nitro as it will increase it rather then reducing it (ie you will have more job in sucking the bottom then if you have with the gravel (prefably not to big tho smaller is better )

The pirahna you need to have in a separate tank as it WILL eat the other fishes (and prefably also get a few more prefably same size when you have the new one at the same time ) as they are also a school fish & alone it will stand in corner and hide all the time and not being happy + im afraid when they grow up they need a BIG tank (and this both for the common pirahna as well as for the other Sp They get even bigger)

Actually, the vacuuming part will be a lot easier, plus I won't have to sluice the gravel as I generally have to in order to clean it. The stuff costs so little that I can just pitch it into my yard when it gets too filthy.
The only real worry about pool filter sand is washing the particulate matter out of it before using it so it doesn't tear up pumps.
About twice a year, I strip my tanks clear and clean everything in them.
When I do that, I generally ignore the filter changes and keep a few plants as found. When I do the cleanings, I generally retain about 50% of the water, so I'm not starting out with 100% fresh stuff.
I also keep a nice regimen of water testing stuff.

The piranha will come with it's own 55 gallon rig.
The guy that's giving it to me has been keeping them for over 25 years now, both alone and in smaller schools, and he doesn't seem to think it is that harmful to have just one in a rig.

The glowfish will have their 29 gallon rig included with them.

I will retain their water to reuse before everything is moved so I won't upset those balances too.

 

[Sarah S]

="Nitro, post: 664235, member: 3886"]Actually, the vacuuming part will be a lot easier, plus I won't have to sluice the gravel as I generally have to in order to clean it.

" You dont need to sluice the gravel all the time Nitro its good to have some bacteria Culture left in the gravel all you need to do is when you vacume move around the gravel to get the dirt up , and i still say its more as i talked to a profetinal (had hees own pet shop ) close friend of mien about this when i was earlier on my way in starting up a Diskus tank "

The stuff costs so little that I can just pitch it into my yard when it gets too filthy.

" I understand that and yes sand is cheeper then gravel But what you also have to concider is the sand youre refering to compatble to fish tanks ? I dont know because i only use specific sand for fish tanks so i cant say either way "

The only real worry about pool filter sand is washing the particulate matter out of it before using it so it doesn't tear up pumps.
About twice a year, I strip my tanks clear and clean everything in them.
When I do that, I generally ignore the filter changes and keep a few plants as found. When I do the cleanings, I generally retain about 50% of the water, so I'm not starting out with 100% fresh stuff.
I also keep a nice regimen of water testing stuff.

" Yes sand will risk destroying youre pumps. Sounds very good in my book Nitro keep up the great work "

The piranha will come with it's own 55 gallon rig.
The guy that's giving it to me has been keeping them for over 25 years now, both alone and in smaller schools, and he doesn't seem to think it is that harmful to have just one in a rig.

" Well then if the fish is happy who am i to say otherwise Nitro ? All im saying is the usual mistake many does with getting piranahs is they buy to few and end up with a scared unhappy fish. (i had Piranahs as well big ones as well as Juvenile ) Now reg this particual fish you might ask if the reason he is alone is that said fish is a killer and attacks other tank mates (this do happens were a individual fish become a killer and needs to be isolated ) Oh and come to think of as far as i know this Sp is not alowed in many States so getting more might be a problem I humbly with NO intent of mastering or pretend im better (im NOT that kind of a girl ) give you this link https://msu.edu/~torresm2/piranhatank.html "

The glowfish will have their 29 gallon rig included with them.

" Top marks "

I will retain their water to reuse before everything is moved so I won't upset those balances too.

" Smart move Nitro just shift the water in (if so external pumps) and if i may humbly suggest the filter material in filters inside the tank the water in a external filter will go bad within an hoer of no power or flowing water "

 

[LucyPurrs]

Might add one thing- we discovered a thing called the Python which is an invaluable help. It enables you to avoid lugging buckets of water when you are changing out tank water. We love it and it's not that expensive. Check it out folks.

 

[Sarah S]

Might add one thing- we discovered a thing called the Python which is an invaluable help. It enables you to avoid lugging buckets of water when you are changing out tank water. We love it and it's not that expensive. Check it out folks.

No idea what that is but im shore is a good one . All you need is a ord long garden hose to get water in or out a tank. (Buckets you do when cleaning the bottom ) One end in the water well below the surface and well secured and the other you first need to add water from youre shower to get out all air it bubbles until the fluid comes out ) then shut of the water put down the end and the water will back flow and all you need to do is keep the end in the tank below the water (belive me i have done my full time of caring buckets (Giggles )

 

[Nitro]

Trust me, big goldfish are filthy, that is why I ramped up the filter to double capacity.
The only way I have ever been able to properly clean their gravel is in a sluice, otherwise, a simple vacuum is pretty worthless.
Eric has been using pool filter sand for years now, and I have seen the results. It appears to be much easier to me.
My canister filter maintains a decent culture in it, plus I keep a substantial amount of the old water during the cleaning.

The transfer of the water from the rigs and back again will take under an hour total because it is only a 15 minute drive away.
I have a live bait fishing bubbler I will use during the transport as well.

 

[Sarah S]

="Nitro, post: 664300, member: 3886"]Trust me, big goldfish are filthy, that is why I ramped up the filter to double capacity.

" Yes they are (they are among the worst poluters within fishes actually) "

The only way I have ever been able to properly clean their gravel is in a sluice, otherwise, a simple vacuum is pretty worthless.
Eric has been using pool filter sand for years now, and I have seen the results. It appears to be much easier to me.
My canister filter maintains a decent culture in it, plus I keep a substantial amount of the old water during the cleaning.

" If its for goldfishes i will back down. Youre absolutly right Nitro . And reg the pool filter sand as i said i cant say either good or bad on that one. And concidering the fishes id say yeah that should help keeping the dirt easy to remove. youre defently on top of this "

The transfer of the water from the rigs and back again will take under an hour total because it is only a 15 minute drive away.
I have a live bait fishing bubbler I will use during the transport as well.

" Then its NO problems Nitro Good luck with the move and enjoy youre new tanks (i actually moved both existing BIG ( 142 - 190 Gallons both sallt & fresh water tanks (shorter tripps within the city ) Obviesly not alone but with help, and a gazilion smaller tanks as well so i know how FUN that is "

 

[Turbocks]

This is how my 140 liter aquarium looks like now 1 month after setup. I am gonna add roibos tea to it to make the water tea coloured and I will add more dried oak leaves.

Lot's of things have been added like floating plants ,marbled hatchetfish ,and cardinal tetras.

I currently run an undergravel filter with a pump and water changes are done once a week.

I will post more images once I have added the roibos tea.

 

[Turbocks]

This is how my aquarium used to look like in the beginning

And this is how it looks like now

That is quite the difference isn't it

 

[Sarah S]

NICE !!! Have to say it most defenetly seems you`ve done youre home work on this. (two thumbs up )

 

[Turbocks]

This is what my aquarium looks like now that 4 bags of roibos tea were added. I also added some more leaves and by now I have around 20 leaves which should be enough.

I am considering adding more tea though because I am looking for that reddish brown color that I adore.

 

[Sarah S]

Looking GREAT (two thumbs up )

 

[Rocco]

your aquarium is looking great and peaceful! The tank should color up naturally as time progresses and the tannins leech into the water more.

I enjoy small low maintenance tanks. I once kept over a dozen tanks and bread fish, coral, and various algae, but now I keep a 14 gallon saltwater tank with a clown fish, live rock and 2”-3” of live sand. Natural micro fauna help keep Nemo fed along with occasional dry food. I almost never do water changes anymore, just top it off for evaporation and add some buffers.
The mini benthic creatures that appear in saltwater systems are fascinating to me.